Out in the cold
by CreativeGirl247
Summary: What if Gale was reaped into the Hunger Games with another person from the Seam? Would they both survive? Would they become "star-crossed lovers"?
1. Chapter 1

**A.U- Thank you for reading this story! In this story, Gale and my OC get reaped for the 74****th**** Annual Hunger Games. Reviews and suggestions would be welcome!**

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** Chapter 1**

As soon as the first ray of sunshine entered through the small window of the room I, Brooke Harris, share with my sister, Aria, I woke up. I walked towards the room my two brothers, Robb and Bran share and saw my little brother Bran fast asleep. I walked to the kitchen to find my big brother, Robb eating stale bread for breakfast.

"About time you got up! Have some breakfast. We'd better get going soon." He said.

I ate some bread and quickly dressed in my usual gear, my worn in, supple leather boots and my baggy brown pants and black shirt. We both wore our jackets and began walking towards the gap in the fence. Once we'd made it to the other side, we made it to the hollow tree where we kept all our weapons. We grabbed an axe and spear each and I strapped my belt of knives. We began walking towards the groove of trees where we usually cut down firewood.

"Thanks for not inviting Aria!" I said.

"I promised you a long time ago that this day would always belong to you and me, remember? And I never break my promises." He replied.

"I love you, Robb"

"I love you too, Brookie"

I laid down my spear on the ground and began climbing the tree with my axe. I chopped down quite a few branches and made my way back down within a few seconds.

"I swear to god, you're like one of those monkeys we read about" Robb said.

"I find it insulting that you would compare me with an animal."

"It's supposed to be a compliment, Brooke. Accept it"

I stuck my tongue out at him like a little child and away for a while as he began chopping those branches into sizeable pieces. I quickly caught 3 squirrels and 4 rabbits with my knives. I walked my way back towards Robb and began skinning them.

"Always through the right eye. Impressive, little sister."

"Well, it's my signature style" I said with fake cockiness.

He laughed and got back to chopping the branches. After he finished, he packed them away into a bag.

"I'm all done here, Brooke. Did you finish skinning those animals yet?"

"Yup"

"Let's go fishing then."

We walked towards the stream and quickly undressed until we were in our undergarments. We stood there still and patient with spears in our hands waiting for the right moment to strike.

"So, when's the wedding?" I said. My brother Robb was getting married to his fiancée Jayne. I was afraid of losing the one person who I loved the most. Don't get me wrong, I love my other siblings too but we both shared a special bond. We even looked alike. The Seam look. Brown hair and grey eyes. We both looked like dad while Aria and Bran looked like mum with their blonde hair and blue eyes. My mother fell in love with my father during high school. When he died in one of the mine explosions, she completely spaced out and never fully recovered. It took her a year to come back to us, even partially. She looked after Aria and Bran while I helped Robb look after the financial sphere of the household.

By the end we'd caught about half a dozen fish each. We quickly plucked some thyme and rosemary from the herb brushes we'd found a few years ago. We then began walking back to the district to trade our findings. We hid our weapons back in the hollow tree.

"Let's keep two rabbits, two squirrels and a half a dozen fish for ourselves, okay?" I asked Robb.

"Okay"

We then began walking towards the bakery to trade a squirrel. I opened the door to find my best friend, Peeta standing in the front of the bakery.

"Hey Peet!" I said.

"Brookie! What a pleasant surprise."

"I have a squirrel that might interest you"

"And I have a loaf of bread that might interest you"

"Thanks Peet! A trade well struck!"

I heard his mother screaming at him in the background. She was always mean to Peeta and his brothers. I wonder how on earth Mr Mellark, who was kind and gentle, married that woman. The number of times I'd seen the bruises on his face after she had hit him were too many to count.

"Oh crap! I gotta go, Brooke! See you later! And try to make an effort to look ladylike" He said grinning.

"And you try to….look less floury!"

He chuckled and said, "See ya, Brookie"

"Bye, Peet!"

I ran out of the shop to see my brother sitting on the bench.

"Let's go, Robb! Lots to trade!"

We walked our way to the Hobb, the illegal market of our district. We sold most of the firewood to Lommy except a bit for our house. My brother tapped my shoulder while I was haggling with Lommy over the amount of coin he owed us. I was the best at haggling while Robb never haggled.

"What?" I snapped at him irritably.

"Our cousin is here" he said pointing to my cousin, Katniss. My mother, Evanora, and her mother, Theodora, were sisters. The shock that came to my grandparents after my aunt married Mr Everdeen was picture-perfect according to my mother. They had never expected their younger daughter to follow in their eldest's footsteps.

"So what?" I snapped and went back to haggling. After we agreed on 20 coins, we walked towards Greasy Sae, the soupstress of the Hobb as I liked to call her, to trade our game. We saw Katniss and her best friend, Gale Hawthorne, sitting there, sipping her new concoction.

"Hello, Greasy Sae! Might I interest you in two rabbits and half a dozen fish?" I said with my usual charming voice that I saved for the beginning of my trades.

"How about I give you 5 coins and throw in two bowls of soup?" she answered.

"Looks like we have ourselves a deal" I said and handed her the meat while she gave me the coins.

"Hello Robb, Brooke" Katniss said.

"Hello cousin" Robb and I greeted.

"Let's go, Katniss" Her friend, Gale, grunted.

"Well, bye!" Katniss said and began walking away.

"Someone's grumpy" I muttered to myself.

"He's always grumpy during this day. Can you blame him, though?" Greasy Sae said.

"Guess not" I answered.

"How many slips have you got in there, Brooke?" she asked.

"Fourteen", I said, doing the math in my head.

"May the odds be in your favour, child." She answered. We finished it and went over to the clothes stall to buy a few for Aria. Most of her clothes were ragged and handed down from me. After a few more trades, we began making our way back home.  
"Take off your shoes" my mother instructed as soon as we entered the house.

"You", she said pointing to Robb, "Go wash up while you" she said pointing towards me, "Go take a bath. I've laid out a dress for you."

After taking a bath, I saw that my mother had laid out one of her old dresses from her Apothecary days, a beautiful purple one. I quickly pulled my wet her into a bun and looked at the mirror. I didn't look like myself; I looked beautiful, with my mother's pale skin and my father's hair and eyes. I walked out and saw my little sister Aria, look close to tears. It was her first reaping.

"Ari, calm down. You won't be reaped, I promise. You only have one slip in there."

"Okay"

We ate 3 of the fishes we'd caught today and ate half of the loaf of bread. I held Aria's hand and began walking toward the town square where the reaping would be held. We walked past the bakery when Peeta came out.

"Wow! Brookie, you look like a girl! And you look adorable, Ari" he said.

Aria began giggling and I silently thanked him for easing some of her tension. We walked over the lines and got our fingers pricked.

"Ari, walk down to the twelve year-olds section, okay? I'll find you as soon as this is over."

"Okay" she mumbled and began walking to the front.

"Good luck, Peet" I said and hugged him.

"You too, Brookie. See you after this, okay?"

I nodded and walked to the sixteen year-old section and saw my friend Elli biting her nails. She was the seamstress's daughter and hadn't taken any tesserae. She was almost as safe as my sister.

"Stop biting your nails, Elli! Trust me, we won't be reaped!"

She was just about to answer when our escort, Effie Trinket bobbled onto the stage on feet-high heels.

"Happy 74th Annual Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favour! We have a special video brought to you all the way from the Capitol!" I zoned out and started searching the family crowd for me brothers. I then found Robb clutching Bran's hand and rolling his eyes at the screen. I ignored the urge to laugh and found Peeta in the section of sixteen year old boys. He was gazing lovingly at Katniss. I was the only one who knew that he'd had a crush on Katniss since as long as I can remember.

"Well, wasn't that wonderful?" she said. Our only living victor, Haymitch, then bobbled up on stage drunk off his wits and hugged Effie. He then collapsed onto his seat. Well, this reaping has atleast been interesting so far.

"Ladies first" Effie said in an exited, cheery tone. God! How can she be so happy to select kids to send them to slaughter? Does she even have a brain?

_Not me! Please don't let it be me! _I thought. It wasn't, it was the one person I didn't think I'd have to worry about. It was the one person whom I thought was safe from this monstrosity.

"Arianna Harris"

Aria nervously began walking to the stage with tears in her eyes. I broke out of my daze when I saw the first tear fall. I knew what I had to do. There was no way I was letting my sister go into the Games if I could do anything about it. I began shuffling through the crowd not caring if I had hit anyone. I ran towards her and pushed her behind me.

"I volunteer" I said with such anger and determination in my tone, I didn't know I possessed it.

"No! Brooke! No! I won't let you do this!" Aria sobbed into my skirt and wouldn't let me go.

"Let me go, Ari"

"No! I won't let you do this"

Peeta came through the crowd and carried my sobbing sister towards my brother.

"Up you go, Brookie", he said, his voice cracking at the end.

I walked towards the stage trying to keep my face emotionless.

"What's your name, dear?" Effie asked excitedly. I bet she loved the drama and the attention our district was getting now that we'd had our first volunteer.

"Brooke Harris"

"I'd bet my buttons that was your sister. Don't want her stealing all the glory do we?"

I glared at her and she turned away. Haymitch thankfully bumbled onto the stage at the same time. "I like this one! Got lots of…spunk! That's right! More than you!" he said pointing towards the camera. He can't possibly be addressing the Capitol, can he? At the next moment, he collapsed off the stage and had to be carried away on a stretcher.

Effie then began walking towards the bowl which contained the boy's slips. _Please not Peeta._ I thought desperately. It wasn't.

"Gale Hawthorne"


	2. Chapter 2 - It's time to say goodbye

**A.N- Radio free death- Well, yes, I intended to add in the Stark family here because I feel they are the best characters in GOT. I'm still beginning to develop the character. She isn't like Katniss. I assure you, you'll see the development of her character in the future chapters. **

**Tell me what you think of it folks! **

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**Chapter 2-**

**Brooke P.O.V-**

We were made to shake hands and were lead into the Justice building where we were made to sit in separate rooms. I looked around to see the most luxurious room I had ever seen in my whole life. The walls had wallpapers and the windows had curtains and draping's. There was a velvet couch with many other velvet chairs in its vicinity. I sat on the velvet couch and began feeling the smooth material with my fingers.

"Brooke!" Aria screeched and flung herself into my arms. She began sobbing into my shoulder.

"You have three minutes" The peacekeeper voiced in the background.

"Why did you do it, Brooke? You shouldn't have volunteered!"

"There was no way I was letting you go into this monstrosity if I could help it, Ari." I said.

"Brooke, where are you going?" my 5 year old brother, Bran, said looking at me with wide eyes. How could I rip his innocence away from him and reveal to him the barbarity of the world we lived in? I couldn't bring myself to destroy the pure soul of my brother. So, I lied.

"I'm going on a vacation, buddy."

"But you're coming back, right?"

"Of course, I am sweetie!"

"Then why is everyone crying?"

"Bran, don't ask too many questions" My mother strictly spoke behind him.

"I'm sorry, sweetie. I am so sorry you have to go through this" my mother spoke, breaking her calm demeanour.

"It's not your fault, mum. Look after everyone for me, okay?"

She nodded, tears streaming down her pale face. I was then enveloped in a group hug.

"Come back to us." Aria said.

"I will try with all my might to come back. I promise you this."

"Okay"

"Time's up" the peacekeeper said and began dragging my family away from me.

"I love you all so much!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. Tears were threatening to make an appearance_. No, you've got to look strong, you can cry later. _I told myself. Just as I began wondering why my brother, Robb, hadn't visited me yet, he came into the room.

"Brooke! I am so sorry!" he said and pulled me into another one of his rib-crushing hugs. I felt so safe and protected in his chest, I didn't want to let go.

"You can do this. You're fast, you're strong, and you're good with knives, axes and spears."

"I can't kill, brother"

"You've killed too many animals to count"

"But those were animals, not children."

"How much more different can it be?"

"I don't want to talk about this right now."

"Wear this as your token, alright?" he said handing me my grandmother's old chain. It had a lapis lazuli pendent in it. It had been passed down in my family since before the dark days.

"Okay"

"I love you so much, Brooke."

"I love you too, Robb"

"Time's up." The peacekeeper said and began leading my brother away from me.

"Come back to me, Brooke."

"I will" I said. I didn't know if I could keep up this promise but I would try as hard as I could to get back to them. I wondered who else would come to visit me.

"Brooke!" Peeta gasped as I flung myself into his chest.

"I'm so sorry, Brooke!"

"It's not your fault, Peet. Look after my family for me, won't you?"

"You know I will, Brookie"

"Don't let Aria and Bran watch the games. Take them to the bakery and make them knead dough, or something. Distract them."

He nodded and said, "Come back home, Brookie."

"I'll try, Peet" I said and watched him leave the room.

The door opened again. "Brooke, I'm going to miss you so much. Please, come back" Elli said and hugged me tightly. I felt her tears wetting my dress.

"I'll try, Elli"

"Okay" she said and sobbed into my shoulder until she was led away by the peacekeepers.

Just when I thought there would be no more visitors, Katniss walked into the room.

"It was very brave, what you did. Stupid, but brave" she said and hugged me. Well, this was unexpected, we were never close.

"Thanks, I guess?"

"Could you please bring him home to me?" she said. _Wait, what? _She came in here to ask me to try to bring her boyfriend back? I felt my body turn rigid and move away from her. I was enraged.

"You came in here to ask me to bring your boyfriend back? Do you hear yourself right now? Do you even minutely realise how selfish you sound?"

"I love him, Brooke. I can't live without him."

"And just because you can live without me, I can die? GET OUT!"

She flinched and opened her mouth to protest.

"GET OUT OF HERE, NOW!" I screamed furiously. She began walking towards the door slowly with tear streaked cheeks. It was obvious I had hurt her, but I didn't care. I began breathing deeply and focused on calming my nerves.

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**Gale POV-**

Great! Now I've got to play in the Hunger Games with my best friend's cousin! I had seen her in Hob today with her brother. Looks like she goes to the woods too. Where else would she have been able to hunt those squirrels and rabbits? I had seen the game when she'd given it to Greasy Sae. Shot right through the right eye. I didn't know which weapon she used but I knew she was skilful in atleast one of them. A formidable enemy and a possible ally. I would see her private session score and decide on that I guess. Just when I was in the midst of my thoughts, the door opened and my family walked in. My mother's cheeks looked tear stained but it looked like she was trying to be strong for the rest of them. Rory and Vick tackled me into a bear hug and began crying into my shirt.

"Gale, where are you going?" my little sister, Posy asked me.

"I'm going away on a vacation sweetie. I'll be back before you know It.", I replied. I didn't want to submit her into the harsh reality of our world. I would make sure she could stay in her own happy world with fairies and magic as long as I could.

"You promise?" she asked holding out her little pinkie finger.

"I promise" I said and loped my pinkie around hers. I knew that was a promise I couldn't make but I would try as hard as humanly possible to get back home to my family.

"Gale, you can do this." Rory said.

"We believe in you, Gale" Vick said.

"Thanks guys. Rory, you've got to be the man of the house now. Look after everyone until I come back, alright? Katniss will show you how to hunt. She'll help you, okay?"

"Okay" he said.

"I'm so sorry about this, Gale" mom said and hugged me.

"You've got nothing to apologize for, Ma"

"Your father would be proud of the man you've become, Gale Hawthorne. Don't lose yourself in the arena, alright?"

"I won't, Ma"

'I love you", she said and hugged me. She knew that that hug professed my love for her.

"Time's up" the peacekeeper said and began leading them out of the room.

"I love you all" I billowed at the top of my lungs.

The next visitor surprised me. I had seen him around the Seam various times doing his best to look after his family. I admired him and followed his footsteps once my dad had died in the mines. I never thought he'd come visit me when his own sister was reaped into the games. After all, only one of us could come out of the Arena alive.

"Hi, I'm Robb" he said.

"I know. Why are you here? No offence, but shouldn't you be visiting your sister instead?"

"I'm going to visit her next; I just wanted to speak to you."

"Okay?" I said suspiciously.

"Can you promise not to kill my sister in the Arena? Please?" he asked desperately. That's when I saw how helpless he felt. He couldn't protect his sister in the Games; he was too old to volunteer for me. So he helplessly had to see his sister being taken into the clutches of the Capitol for their _entertainment._ That was exactly how I'd probably feel if Posy was reaped into the Games.

"I promise you I won't kill her unless it's absolutely necessary. I don't want to become the social pariah who killed his own district partner. If I have any other choice, I won't kill her."

"I guess that's better than nothing." He said and began walking away. "Oh, and Hawthorne, I'll make sure your family has enough to eat." he said and walked away.

That was what surprised me the most. He had his own family to feed and now that his sister was gone, he was on his own. And yet he told me he'd help my family.

The next visitor was equally unexpected. Leilani, the girl I took to the slag heap last week came in and leapt into my arms. She began sobbing into my shirt. I was surprised. I had made it clear that that night was a no-strings-attached one-off.

"I'm so sorry, Gale." She said.

"It's okay" I barely managed to say when she assaulted my lips with hers. She began pulling off my pants and my hands somehow managed to pull up her skirts. Her whole body pressed into mine as her hips began rolling into mine. Well, atleast I was going into the Capitol sexually satisfied.

We pulled away from each other once we had both reached our climax and had barely been able to look unsusceptible when the peacekeeper came in and lead her away. I had a smile on my lips thinking about how she had thrown herself at me.

Katniss finally walked in. She ran into my arms and began sobbing into my chest.

"You can do this, Gale. You can hunt, you can survive."

"I'll try, Katniss. Look after them for me. Teach Rory how to hunt. Robb said he'd help but I don't know to what extent he'll be able to help."

"Robb said he'd help? Wow! I hadn't expected that."

"Me neither"

"He's a decent guy. They all are. I wish I'd made more of an effort to know them."

"You still can"

"Whatever"

"Time's up" the peacekeeper said and began to shove her out of the room.

"Gale, I-". I probably would never get to know the end of that sentence. All due to the goddamn Capitol and their barbaric Games!

Just when I thought I was done with visitors, Madge, the mayor's daughter came in. I had always been mean to her because she was from the Town. She never had to starve and try to just barely scrape by. She never knew the hardships of life that I had had to face after my father's death. I guess I might have taken it out on the wrong person After all; it was the Capitol's fault, not her's.

"They let you wear one thing in the Arena to remind you of home. Would you please wear this?" she said and gave me the gold pin I had seen on her dress this morning when we'd delivered strawberry's at her house. It was a ring with a mockingjay at the centre. In the mockingjay's beak was an arrow.. I couldn't believe I was getting a free pin! Sweet!

"Okay"

"Good luck, Gale" she said and surprised me by pulling me into a hug. This day was full of the unexpected! She then ran out of the room. That is one weird girl!


	3. Chapter 3- Introductions

Chapter 3

**Brooke P.O.V-**

We were lead into cars after we exited the Justice Building. Gale had a smirk imprinted on his face. I wonder if I should be allies with him. But then again, how could I trust him? Maybe he'd be a backstabbing asshole like my cousin who so dearly asked me to bring her boyfriend back. Wow, I've got one hell of a great cousin! I'd better not make any alliances; my brother taught me everything father had taught him. How to use weapons, which plants to eat, how to snare animals. I'd be well off on my own.

The train station was swamped with insect-like cameras waiting for the first look of the _honourable tributes._ After the train started moving, I took one last look at District 12, my home. My woods, which were a safe haven of sorts for me, were speeding by. After the District was out of sight, I turned around to see the most beautiful room I had ever seen in my whole life. The room in the Justice Building seemed meagre in front of this.

"Well, help yourselves!" Effie said.

That's when I noticed the food. Enough food to feed the whole district for a day lay there on a table. Cakes of sorts I had never seen even at the Mellark's bakery, meats, sweets, salads and other things which I didn't even know the name of lay there. Who can eat so much food? I wonder what they do with the leftovers. Throw it away possibly. They were throwing away so much food which children in our District were wasting away to skin and bones. I didn't want to eat even a single bite of the Capitol food. They were giving us luxuries before sending us off to slaughter like it's some sort of a trade. Luxuries for _entertainment._

Gale began wolfing down the food like he had never eaten in his life. That's when I realized I was hungry too. Just so I didn't seem frivolous like the Capitol people, I ate the simplest of dishes I could find. Even the salads tasted so exotic and foreign.

"At least you two have some table manners. The tributes from last year ate with their hands like savages. It completely spoilt my appetite." Effie said. My mother had made sure I knew how to use cutlery ever since I turned 5. I guess Gale's mom taught him too. This comment enraged me. The tributes from last year were little kids from the Seam who were probably half-starved.

"I'm pretty sure they never had so much to eat, Effie. Half of our District consists of half-starved people." I said angrily.

"Yes, well that's probably an angle I can try for sponsors. That you survived the barbarity of your district for so long. The sponsors love a survivor." She chirped. They throw 24 kids into an arena to kill each other and we're the barbaric ones? Oh, the irony! I choose to ignore that comment as I'd probably need her for sponsors.

Once we finished eating, Effie led us into the Recreation Cart to take a first look of the tributes. I figured I couldn't ignore Gale for too long. He's all that's left of home, unless you count our mentor, the district drunk Haymitch.

"Hi, I'm Brooke" I said and held out my hand for him to shake.

"I know, you're Katniss's cousin, right?" he asked. Well, two can play this card.

"And you're Katniss's boyfriend, right?"

"Best friend, not boyfriend." He said. Well, that's sad. Unrequited love. And she came to ask me to save a guy who didn't love her back. Makes her even more of a bitch.

We then sat down to see the replays of the reapings starting with District One. The usual announcer Claudius Templesmith sat with the usual interviewer, Cesar Flickerman. Looks like he's dyed his hair midnight blue this time. He had worn blood red last year and looked like he was bleeding out of his scalp.

"_Well, I think this is going to be an interesting Game, Claudius. A lot of strong looking tributes."_

"_I agree Cesar! Well, with no more delay, let's get on with it shall we?"_

_From District One – Shine Boleyn and Stone Cavill. _In the reaping, two eighteen year olds stepped forward to volunteer for two small children. The girl looked beautiful, with blonde hair and green eyes and the boy looked agile and deadly.

_From District Two- Henry Degrassi and Thyme Rivers. _Again, two eighteen years olds ran up to the stage and volunteered. The girl was comparatively smaller than the one from District One but had a deadly gleam in her eyes. The boy was built like an ox and his arms looked like they could snap a neck with ease.

_From District Three- Caitlyn Moore and Drew Manderly. _A small thirteen year old girl shakily made her way towards the stage and a fifteen year old boy broke down crying and had to be pushed onto the stage by peacekeepers.

_From District Four- Phillip Odair and Ava Simmons. _Odair? Wait! Is he Finnick Odair's brother?A handsome- wait handsome? Snap out of it Brooke! He had blonde hair and sea-green eyes. A deadly looking eighteen year old girl ran up to the stage to volunteer.

_From District Five- Rita Skeeter and Edmund Fairley. _A sneaky looking redhead came onto the stage. She'd be a contender. A scrawny looking sixteen year old boy was reaped.

_From District Six- Xander Isner and Lily Evans. _A lithe looking seventeen year old boy was reaped along with an innocent looking small thirteen year old.

_From District Seven- Luke Reed and Willow Bush. _A somewhat muscular fifteen year old boy was reaped with a twelve year girl. She had brown hair and brown eyes which was common in District Seven. Even though she didn't look like Aria, she reminded me of her. I instantly knew there was no way I'd be able to kill her. I just hope someone else would.

_From District Eight- Charlie Adams and Anne Clarke. _A small fifteen year old boy was reaped with a starved looking fourteen year old girl.

_From District Nine- Mark Seymour and Evelyn Mosby. _A bulky seventeen year old boy was reaped alongside a scrawny looking sixteen year old boy.

_From District Ten- Alex Perry and Christina Stevens. _A somewhat muscular fifteen year old boy was reaped with a crying sixteen year old girl.

_From District Eleven- Patrick Umber and Meredith Sloan. _A huge, muscular eighteen year old boy was reaped with a small thirteen year old girl. Looks like he could give a decent fight to Henry. I hope they'd somehow kill each other.

_From District Twelve- Gale Hawthorne and Brooke Harris. _I saw Gale step onto the stage with a proud smirk on his face. I also saw myself volunteer for my sister. I've got to say, I looked like I was enraged and looked pretty deadly. Good. I'd need to look strong.

"Well, you both behaved well in your reaping. You both look deadly. We can use that." Effie said.

"Thanks, I guess" Gale said.

"Where's Haymitch? Isn't he supposed to be around and mentor us?" I asked.

"Where do you think he is? Probably passed out drunk somewhere." Gale said and began to laugh. I chuckled too remembering his behaviour at the reaping today.

"Yes, yes, laugh all you want. But he's the one keeping you from life and death in the Arena." Effie said.

Almost on cue, Haymitch stumbled into the cart with a bottle of whiskey in his hand. "I miss supper?" he slurred and vomited all over the carpet. I was going to have a serious talk with him tomorrow.

"Come on, you drunk old man" I said and almost half carried him into his room with Gale. We dumped him into the shower and I was about to remove his shirt when Gale spoke up. "I got this" he said.

"Are you sure you don't want any help?" I asked.

"Pick out some clothes for him, won't you?"

"Yeah, sure. Do you want me to call a Capitol attending to help you?"

"No" he said furiously. I knew exactly how he felt. I didn't want those Capitol urchins anywhere around me. I wanted to wake up from this horrible nightmare and find my sister asleep next to me. I wanted to be in the woods joking with Robb. I wanted to read stories with Bran. I wanted to go home.

I laid out sweatpants with a baggy shirt and walked out of the room and into my room. I stepped into the shower and let the hot water calm my body. Then I started to let down my walls and cried. I then went to sleep where I dreamt of home.

**Gale P.O.V-**

We were lead out of the Justice Building and into a car. I had never been in a car before. We went around everywhere by walk at the Seam. Brooke looked like she had zoned out and was lost in her thoughts. She was probably still shocked. Although, she did look pretty fierce when she volunteered for her sister. The station was completely filled with insect like cameras trying to take a look at the new tributes.

We were lead into a luxurious train which moved very fast. Effie started boasting about the train when I turned back to take a last look at the District. I saw Brooke looking at the woods with longing. I was probably right; she went to the woods to help keep her family fed too. When I turned around, I saw a table completely laden with food. It would be enough to feed my family for weeks. The Capitol probably threw away most of it. I packed my plate with as much food as I could and began clobbering through it.

"_At least you two have some table manners. The tributes from last year ate with their hands like savages. It completely spoilt my appetite." _I heard Effie say. Last year's tributes were skinny kids from the Seam probably never had slept with a full stomach. I was almost about to shout at her when Brooke said, _"I'm pretty sure they never had so much to eat, Effie. Half of our District consists of half-starved people." _

"_Yes, well that's probably an angle I can try for sponsors. That you survived the barbarity of your district for so long. The sponsors love a survivor_." Effie replied. These Capitol urchins watch children kill each other for fun and we're barbaric? That's just freaking hilarious.

After we finished eating, we went to watch the replay of the reapings.

"Hi, I'm Brooke" she said and held out her hand. I shook it firmly. Now that I was actually looking at her, she was pretty good-looking. She had Seam grey eyes and brown hair but she looked pale which wasn't common in the Seam. She probably got it from her mom.

"I know, you're Katniss's cousin, right?" I replied, trying to seem casual.

"And you're Katniss's boyfriend, right?" she asked. Why would she ask me that? Catnip and I had made it obvious that we were nothing more than friends.

"Best friend, not boyfriend." I replied just as the replays began.

District One and Two had deadly looking volunteers. The male tribute from District Four was Finnick Odair's brother. Another 18 year old volunteered from District Four. District Six and Nine had strong looking male tributes. The girl from District Five looked sly like a fox. A 12 year old was reaped from District Seven. The thought that a twelve year old had to face the monstrous careers broke my heart. She'd probably be killed at the initial bloodbath. The male tribute from District Eleven looked almost as huge as the guy from District Two. I made it a point to ask him for an alliance later.

"Well, you both behaved well in your reaping. You both look deadly. We can use that." Effie said.

"Thanks, I guess" I said.

"Where's Haymitch? Isn't he supposed to be around and mentor us?" Brooke asked.

"Where do you think he is? Probably passed out drunk somewhere." I said and began to laugh remembering how he'd tried to hug Effie at the reaping. Brooke then began laughing along with me.

"Yes, yes, laugh all you want. But he's the one keeping you from life and death in the Arena." Effie said.

Almost on cue, Haymitch stumbled into the cart with a bottle of whiskey in his hand. "I miss supper?" he slurred and vomited all over the carpet. This man was probably the reason why tributes from out District never made it far into the Games. He would probably be drinking himself out of his mind while they were being killed on live television.

Brooke and I carried him dragged him into his room. We dumped him into the shower and she was about to remove his shirt when I said "I got this". It would probably be awkward for her to try to help me bathe this drunk, old man.

"Are you sure you don't want any help?" she asked.

"Pick out some clothes for him, won't you?"

"Yeah, sure. Do you want me to call a Capitol attending to help you?"

"No" I snapped at her. She nodded and walked out of the room. I didn't want those Capitol people anywhere near me. After I finished giving Haymitch a bath, I walked into his room and saw that she had laid out clothes for him. I dressed him and walked into my room. I took a bath and went to bed where suspiciously, I dreamt of dancing with the brunette next door in the meadow.


End file.
